


Beginning in Earnest

by Amberlioness



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 08:34:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11009799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amberlioness/pseuds/Amberlioness
Summary: T’Pol makes amends with Trip after the events in the Expanse, and they begin a relationship in earnest.  Follows "What Happens Here" and precedes "Finding the Balance".  I’ve tried to keep as close to canon as possible, while filling in events and back story as the muse commands.





	Beginning in Earnest

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: General events prior to and including ‘Home’. 
> 
> Disclaimer: All characters belong to Paramount, I’m just borrowing them for a time. I’ve borrowed some dialogue as well, and I do appreciate it. I derive no financial gain from this endeavor. It’s just been great fun. 
> 
> Thank you Jamelia for the beta read! Thanks to Memory Alpha and the Trip/T’Polers Shipper site for references. And, thanks to my own Chief Engineer for inspiration.

*********

T’Pol made herself a cup of tea. She’d chosen a Tarkalian blend, one that had become popular among the crew. The incense she was burning carried scents that were floral and flinty, reminding her of her home on Vulcan. She was working to create an atmosphere of harmony, to relax, and to keep her composure. She was feeling every bit of the anxiety that she believed this situation demanded. Repairs were underway, Earth and all of the quadrant was safe, at least for now. She had finally healed from the time in the Expanse, taking longer than she’d anticipated. There was one more major task before she went home to Vulcan for leave. She had to speak with Trip.

A few days ago, while encountering a particularly frustrating aspect of the desperately needed upgrade to the warp engine, she and Trip had had been arguing, picking at each other, with T’Pol doing most of the provoking. She recalled his words, “Whatever’s going on with you lately, I’ve had about enough,” he had said in a loud and angry voice after one jab from T’Pol too many. T’Pol’s gaze had darted everywhere in the command center, everywhere but in Trip’s direction. 

He was halfway out the door, when she managed to speak, “Everything that’s happened lately, has caused me to become slightly emotional.” T’Pol had been feeling the effects of Trellium-D withdrawal for several weeks, making her irritable and her behavior erratic. 

Trip’s face visibly softened and his tone became quiet. “I noticed.” 

T’Pol followed with, “I apologize.” He stepped back through the door. 

“Forget about it,” he told her, looking quite sincere. 

She answered with shades of feeling in her voice that Trip had not heard from her before, “I wish I could. It may take some time before I regain my control. It will be difficult to do, especially on my own.” He seemed to realize that she was reaching out to him. 

“This hasn’t been easy for any of us,” he told her, “You know how much I appreciate what you did for me. When this is all over, if you want to talk, I’m all ears.” He gave her a genuine smile, and suggested they take another look at the problem and get back to work. 

She felt a wave of shame at that memory, not for her apology, she had pride for having done that. It seemed an act of recognition and also control of her emotions. She felt the shame for having pushed Trip away so hard and showing such little regard and respect for a man that she truly had deep affectionate feelings toward. 

As she was facing some of the hardest days of Trellium-D detoxification, she had withdrawn, spending more time by herself, most of it in her quarters. T’Pol was now making progress in integrating herself back into the daily life on the ship. She and Trip were getting on well in their work and eating meals together. However, they had not been alone together since they had encountered the Enterprise from the alternate time line, where she had spoken with her much older self. The alternate T’Pol had told her that Trip had been her salvation, the way she could express and channel her newly surfacing emotions. T’Pol had been struggling with taking, what was in reality her own advice. 

T’Pol had asked Trip to come to see her tonight, not making any pretense of ship’s business or neuro-pressure, or any other fabrication. She had simply asked if he would come to see her to talk. Even with all of the challenging things she had done in her life, this intimidated her. These newly kindled emotions were proving not only difficult to manage for herself, but also her interactions with others when intense emotions were involved. She began a short series of deep breathing exercises to calm and center her. The door chimed. “Come in.” Trip entered T’Pol’s quarters.

He stepped in, inclining his head slightly, and said “Good evenin’, T’Pol. How are you?” 

“I am well,” she replied, her face showing a trace of nervousness, but an eagerness and openness that Trip hadn’t seen before. “Please, sit,” she said gesturing at a cushion on the floor across from her. “Would you like some tea?” 

“Sure, why not,” he replied and got comfortable on the floor. He looked around the room somewhat uncertainly as she poured for him. He looked up at the bulkhead and noticed a cracked tile and scratched beam. “That’s not fixed yet,” he said gesturing at the damage. “I’ll get a crew down tomorrow to take care of it.” She handed him the tea, “thanks.” They sipped. “What is this exactly?” he asked. 

“Tarkalian tea, similar to an earth Oolong from what I understand.” 

“Not bad.” He put the cup down, and gave her a direct look. “So, you said you wanted to talk,” he began, trying to break the ice. He really did want to help her, to listen, to be there. If nothing else, she was still his friend he thought, and a friend who had clearly been going through something. She’d stopped seeing him weeks ago, not just stopped the neuro-pressure, and the sex, but began to avoid him altogether. He hadn’t been successful in getting her to tell him what was wrong, or what he might do to make it better either. As concerned as he was for her, it didn’t overshadow the confusion and hurt he was feeling.

“I’m going back to visit Vulcan in a few days, but I wanted to see you before I went.” 

“Well, I’m glad you did,” Trip began, “It’s been a hard time all around, but I’ve been worried about you. Want to finally tell me what’s been going on with you?” 

T’Pol thought, ‘No I do not want to at all. But I have to.’ She said, “I have not been well.” 

“Yeah, being in the Expanse was hard on you, being Vulcan,” Trip said, wondering if this was really going anywhere.

T’Pol replied, “No, this was of my own doing.” She looked at him very directly. “I…I did something very foolish,” she paused. “You recall when we began to purify Trellium-D?” 

“And nearly blew ourselves up doing it,” he finished. 

She paused again, resuming in a quieter voice, “I continued our work, and I found a way to purify it in small quantities.” 

He looked confused, “why…?” he said, having a sudden bad feeling about what she might say next.

She continued, “I was using it. Ingesting it, then...injecting it.” 

“What the hell for…?” he looked incredulous. “That’s toxic to Vulcans!” 

“It is, and in ways I did not expect.”

“You’re not still doin’ this, are you?” The shock and concern were clear in his voice. Trip had no idea that T’Pol could be inclined to self-destructive behavior like that. 

T’Pol began, “No, I have not touched it for several months. Dr. Phlox has assured me it has finally all cleared from my system.” The night she had risked her life to get another dose was the event that led her to consult Dr. Phlox, and to finally stop. 

Trip felt his concern lessen somewhat, “well, at least you saw him about it. But, tell me, why? I mean, I remember what happened to you on the Seleya. You wanted to kill everyone and anyone.” 

“Yes, that was extremely unpleasant. As that first exposure cleared, and those strong and violent emotions passed, I began to sense much more pleasant emotions. I could access them much more easily. I wanted to feel those emotions again.” As she spoke she was looking at the floor. “It was almost like being a child again, before I learned to fully control my emotions. Before there was a need to.” T’Pol had always struggled with her emotions, and found maintaining control took more effort that it did for most other Vulcans. She had assessed herself as lacking as a Vulcan because of this, and had compensated by strict adherence to as many cultural norms as possible. She raised her gaze, and continued, “As I once told Captain Archer, ‘once you make that first misstep it’s easy to rationalize a course of behavior.’ And I did. At first, small doses produced the desired effect. But with time, more was required, and the emotions I sought became harder to access. More often came anxiety, anger, fear and distrust,” she paused, “and my behavior deteriorated.” 

T’Pol had not been herself for number of weeks, and Trip had been concerned, but the reason left him stunned. He’d had weekends that involved way too much alcohol, and that were only spotty memories, but this sounded more serious. “I get that Vulcans have emotions, they just control them well. But, you did this to yourself, to, to feel…” he stopped, not sure what to say next. The thought crossed his mind that she’d done this somehow because of the feelings she had for him, and that was disconcerting, to say the least. 

She couldn’t make eye contact with Trip. She took a breath, “Exactly. To feel. I wanted to be able to feel, so I could react and respond with others.” She now looked directly at Trip, knowing she could continue. “And I was very unfair to you.” 

“And you apologized. Like I said earlier, apology accepted,” he said with sincere compassion. He was feeling some sense of responsibility, irrational as it was, and he wanted to alleviate her guilt and help her resolve this. He continued, “all is forgiven, as they say. You’re not the first person to be overwhelmed by a situation or to make a bad decision. It’s,” and he laughed softly, “a very human thing to do.” He reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before letting go. “You’re going to be all right now? Without that stuff?” 

“Physically, yes, I am recovered.” T’Pol replied. “However, I may never quite achieve the same level of emotional control as I had before.” 

“Is that all?” he said wide-eyed, feeling relieved. He’d feared there would be some other effects on her health. She was startled by his response. He repeated, “really, is that all? You’re telling me that now you get to feel some of what the rest of us sentient beings get to experience every day of our lives. Welcome to the club, T’Pol,” Trip said, his expression softening, showing real empathy. “I don’t imagine it’ll be easy getting used to, but it might be worth it.” He meant what he said and hoped she understood.

This was now the hardest part for T’Pol. “Trip, I denied that I had feelings for you, but I did…have them. I do have them.” 

Trip was surprised at her admission, and suddenly hopeful. He answered, “I know,” reaching over and taking her hand again. T’Pol felt the warmth of it, and the strength, appreciating his touch, and feeling her heart rate increase.

“I seduced you.” 

Again, he looked surprised, and thought, ’she really does want to talk, getting it all out in the open.’ “Ah, yes, I was there,” he said. “You did a pretty fair job of blindsiding me. But, you do know nothing happened that I didn’t want to happen either.” 

“I was jealous.” 

“And I called you out on that one,” he countered.

“And I lied to you. I didn’t consider being…intimate…with you simply an exploration of a biological process. I was the one who wasn’t able to keep from forming an emotional attachment. I’m sorry for all of that.” She exhaled, realizing she’d been holding her breath. She felt relief, now that there wasn’t anything left unsaid for her.

“I knew you weren’t being honest with me though.” He gave her that raised brows look that said, ‘I know you’re not telling me how it is’. “One time is an experiment, or an exploration, but what we did...I don’t think so.” He still held her hand. 

Trip took a moment to gather his thoughts, she’d laid a whole lot on him. Once she had admitted using Trellium-D as a drug, and what it did to her, everything else made sense. It was not lost on him that she’d been under the influence of this emotion-heightening agent when they’d been together, at least at first. It still seemed to him that the Trellium-D had intensified her emotional response, but it hadn’t created it out of nothing. “You done?” he asked. She nodded. “Apology accepted.” 

“How are you not angry with me?” she asked in a gentle voice that she hoped didn’t betray the anxiety she was now trying to suppress. 

“Oh, I was. I was pretty pissed off,” he paused, bringing his hand to his face. He continued, “there’s at least one work crew that thinks I’m a complete son of a bitch. But…I figured you...got scared. It wouldn’t be the first time someone reacted that way to an…. emotionally intense…experience.” 

T’Pol had said what she had planned, but had not been prepared for him to be accepting of her failings. She looked into his eyes, and began to feel emotions rising up again, getting in the way of her logic and control. And it was good this time. 

Trip felt he needed to come clean with her, maybe get to say what he’d really wanted to that morning after, those several mornings after. “Look, what happened between us, it wasn’t...just a physical thing, I mean, we have pretty fantastic chemistry, you think?” 

T’Pol actually began to color and looked down, “Yes, decidedly.” 

He went on, “I didn’t say it, but what Sim told you, that he had feelings for you, well, that was true for me, and still is. I think about you all the time.” He paused, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, “we’re great working together, and great as friends, but I think there’s more to it. I want to take that chance and find out.”

“I agree,” T’Pol heard herself say before her mind could form the words. 

He gave her hand a squeeze, “all right then. So,” he said letting go of her hand but shifting his position to sit closer to her, "what do we do about that? Life on board Enterprise doesn’t make it easy to have some privacy.” 

“We will need to be, discrete,” T’Pol replied, feeling relief and anticipation at the direction the conversation was taking. She had only vaguely hoped Trip would be open to resuming their relationship in some way. 

“As much as that’s possible living in a fishbowl like this. So, what would you do on a date back home, on Vulcan?”

“A date?”

“Just an expression. For two people spending time together, getting to know each other.” He realized in a culture where emotions were tightly controlled and marriages were arranged, there might not be a lot of dating going on. “I’m guessing that young people on Vulcan don’t do much of what I’m talkin’ about, do they?”

T’Pol replied, “Some. There are many beautiful places on Vulcan and a rich cultural history to explore. But there is a great deal of supervision of young people. As one gets older and is settled, this norm changes.” 

“I see,” Trip replied. 

She asked, “what did you do when you were young? Did you do much dating?” Trip suddenly realized this was a potentially hazardous topic, as it was never wise to discuss previous girlfriends or lovers with current ones. He thought he should answer, but shouldn’t be too specific. 

“Well, some, yeah. The usual stuff where I grew up was movies, going to the beach, football games.” He paused and looked reflective, “I had this car though, when I was 16, I loved that thing. I’d gotten it running, and I’d go up the highway to the cape point and park. Just watch the sun set, and, he blushed a bit, "and make out.” 

“I assume you mean with a young woman?” T’Pol asked.

“Yes, that’s what I meant...what else would I mean?” 

“You only mentioned the car,” she said with a hint of a smile. 

“I guess I did,” as he started laughing. 

The memory seemed very special to him. “Tell me about that. What would you do on this outing with a young woman?” She was relaxing in his presence, and enjoying this conversation. 

Trip smiled at her, “well, let’s see.” He went on, “I’d have a blanket in the car, so we could sit on the grass. We’d sit and just talk for a while. About all sorts of stuff, family, school, music, books we’d read. What we wanted to do with our lives. That getting to know the other person kinds of things.” 

“And that is all?” she asked sounding slightly disappointed. 

“Well, then there was the making out part, “Trip said, concentrating on T’Pol’s response. 

“You need to explain.” 

“I’d rather show you, if that’s alright.” She nodded her assent, and he moved over so they were sitting hip to hip, with him facing her. “Let’s see, the nights were usually warm, and there’d be a breeze coming up from the water. You could just ‘bout hear the waves breaking up on shore.” He was looking deep into her eyes now. “The stars would be out,” he nodded toward the viewport. Back then, I never thought I’d be looking at them from this point of view though,” he said staring out into space for a moment. Drawing himself back to the present, he continued, “and there would be this energy in the air, like most anything could happen.” 

“I’d lean in close,” he said in a low voice, nuzzling her hair, and gently brushing his lips against her ear, breathing softly. She shivered. “And I’d tell her that she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.” T’Pol’s breath quickened and Trip could see this romantic approach was definitely having an effect. “That she had a brilliant mind, and this really subtle sense of humor.” He repeated his nuzzling of her ear and went on, “she’s someone who was there for me when I needed help, who I’ve trusted with my life, more than once, and...I’d tell her she has the most adorable pointed ears.” She exhaled audibly. “Then I’d hope she’d want to kiss me,” as he slowly moved to touch her lips with his. Very softly. T’Pol felt warm waves of emotion washing over her. This was very different from how it had been with the Trellium-D. The emotion wasn’t unfamiliar, but the intensity was softened. It didn’t scare her. It was like a gentle breeze growing stronger, not like a sudden windstorm. Trip broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “And that would be first base,” he said with a grin. 

“Very pleasurable,” T’Pol breathed. 

“That’s the idea,” he replied, running the back of his hand along her cheek and down to the base of her throat. 

“Is there more?” she asked. 

Trip leaned back in and kissed her, more intensely this time. Breaking off he moved to kiss down her neck slowly, and then slowly up again to her ear. Whispering softly again, “you really are beautiful.” She sighed softly. They exchanged kisses again, with T’Pol exploring his ears and neck with soft kisses. She seemed to understand that the point of this was to go slow, not like the frenzied passion of their first encounter, or the strained silence of the following ones. He finally moved to take her in his arms and they held each other tight for a moment. Trip then slid his hands over her breasts still covered by her silky pajama top, feeling her erect nipples and her breath catch when he touched them. He ran his hands over her shoulders, back, and down to her waist, looking appreciatively. T’Pol was responding with her own caresses, running her hands over his chest and shoulders. “Mind if we get more comfortable?” he said gesturing at her bunk. T’Pol nodded. She was awash in the physical and emotional sensations, and felt a euphoria at the excitement of being touched. 

They stood and Trip took her in his arms, holding her close and looking down into her face. He ran his hands down her back and over her perfect butt. The sensation of being petted while still clothed was surprisingly intense for T’Pol. Trip reached down and unbuttoned her top, letting it slide off. He cupped her breasts, caressing them. “Second base,” he said softly. She had worked her hands up under his t-shirt and was raking her nails through his chest hair when he grabbed the collar and pulled it off over his head. She had been enjoying the feel of his skin, and the sensation of his chest hair. She stood up on her tip toes to kiss him, and as she dropped back on her feet, she slid her hands down to the waistband of his exercise pants and kept going. Now he was naked in front of her, and he was so hard he ached. She touched him, gently at first, but then firmly stroking his shaft. Trip closed his eyes for a moment, and let out a sound of pleasure, before opening his eyes and saying, “ok, let’s get back to that in a bit. First,” he grasped the waist of her silky pajama bottoms and slid them down to the floor. He just had to stare for a moment. She was looking back at him with an expression he hadn’t seen on her face before. It was subtle, but she looked not just flushed with color, but excited, and there was something else as well. 

He took her hand and guided her down onto the bed. They lay facing each other. Trip continued his slow deliberate touching, now focusing on her breasts. Moving to gently bite and suck her very erect nipples. He continued with one, hearing her respond, making soft moans and sounds of pleasure. She suddenly gasped and quivered. He kissed her again, ‘that was new’, he thought, ‘she’s definitely more relaxed now’. He touched her between her thighs, petting her gently, then touching more urgently, feeling her wetness. “Third base,” he whispered as he kissed her neck and shoulder. She was ready, as was he.

He moved over her, placing himself between her legs but not entering. “Tell me you want me,” Trip said looking into her eyes. She returned his gaze and answered breathlessly, “I want you inside me.” 

“No, T’Pol. Tell me you want...me.” He kissed her neck again, “Tell me you want...me.” 

“I...want you, Trip. I want you.” Satisfied with this, he entered her slowly. She exhaled and then began to moan softly, then more loudly in response to his thrusting. ‘Dear god, she feels good. Just perfect…,’ he thought as he continued, trying to take as long as possible, prolonging this ecstasy. She was running her nails down his back now, and then up his neck and through his hair, grabbing hold as she suddenly began panting and spasmed, climaxing with a soft outcry. Trip slowed his movements but did not fully stop, continuing to rock them both. She was working her hands firmly on his lower back, and the touch felt familiar. Were those neuro-pressure points? It really didn’t matter, as he could feel her getting close again, and so was he. ‘How do we keep doing this?’ he thought. They both finished breathlessly, Trip collapsing on top of her. “Home,” he breathed, not sure if he was finishing his explanation, or meant something else entirely. When they untwined, she asked, “water?” “Please.” She got up to get a glass of water and towels for them. They were quiet, each of them still feeling the aftereffects. 

Soon the two of them lay spooning in her bunk, with T’Pol’s back against Trip’s chest. “This is nice, he said. Mind if I stay here with you tonite? The ship’s pretty deserted right now, so fewer, ‘inquiring minds’. 

“I would like that,” she replied. “There is something I do not understand. What is the significance of references to ‘bases’?” T’Pol had assumed this was some colloquial expression, and her curiosity was peaked. “I doubt you were referring to a chemical property.” 

Trip laughed, “no, definitely not. Well, you had me thinkin’ about dating and basically bein’ a teenager again. Those terms, first base, second base, third base, are how I would have described the, ah, level of physical intimacy that I’d experienced with someone back then. First is kissing, second is touching above the waist, third is touching below the waist, and home base…”

“Is intercourse,” T’Pol finished. “The use of euphemisms for sexual activities seems extremely prevalent in human cultures.” 

“They’re actually terms from a sport, baseball. In that game, the players move around the field from base to base, earning points when they get to home base.” 

Human customs and expressions never ceased to surprise T’Pol. “That makes absolutely no sense.” 

“It does in a way.” T’Pol gave him a questioning look. “Maybe ya’ have to be a human male to get it.”

“Perhaps,” she replied, not appearing convinced. 

Trip smiled and drew her in close. “Can I ask you something?” 

“You can ask,” she replied. He thought, ‘is it my imagination, or is she getting funnier?’ 

“There is something I was curious about. I’ve heard something about Vulcan Pon farr, but only about the men. What happens to the women...anything like that?” He figured the present situation made it obvious that there was no way that T’Pol could only have sex every seven years. 

“We consider this a very personal matter,” she replied without any emotion in her voice. Then her tone softened, “however, some aspects have become known outside of our society. The idea that Vulcans only engage in sexual relations every seven years is, as should be self-evident, not correct. A population cannot sustain itself if this were the case. Every seven years Vulcan males do undergo a natural process we call Pon farr, one that drives them to take a mate, if they are not married. And to bond more strongly with their mates if they are. It is most commonly resolved by sexual intercourse, or can be resolved by meditation. If it is not resolved, a biochemical imbalance can result, which can be fatal.” 

“Why would they choose to meditate, given the option…?” 

“If the individual is young, a suitable mate may not have been arranged, or they may not be sufficiently mature to marry, or other extenuating circumstances. However, this is rarely the case. In some cases, the Pon farr is resolved by combat, but these are situations where a challenge is made.” T’Pol continued, “if the woman does not want the one she is promised to, she can have a champion fight her intended. If the challenger prevails, she may have him instead.” 

“Seriously? That’s one of the most…dramatic…ways to end a relationship I’ve ever heard,” Trip said. 

“Vulcans have a long history, and the logic, if you will, of many of our traditions has been obscured by time. However, these are the customs of my people. There are more than a few Human customs that are very strange by Vulcan standards.”

“I suppose there are at that.” He paused and ran his fingers along her shoulder and down her arm. T’Pol shifted to face him. “So, does this Pon farr happen to women?” 

“Yes, but it is in response to the male’s cycle. A woman’s Pon farr would be brought on by her mate’s Pon farr, and is resolved by sexual intercourse with her mate.” She went on, sensing what he really was curious about, “between Vulcans, outside of Pon farr, sexual intercourse is less frequent than it seems to be for humans, and rather different from…this,” she said running her hands over Trip’s chest. “It is more, perfunctory, rather to the point.” Trip was beginning to think there was some jealousy on the part of these Vulcan men toward their Human counterparts, because it was sounding like they had gotten a bad hand in the biological game of life. 

“Is this all why your family was so insistent you get married before? Because this Pon farr was on the horizon?” 

“In part. Koss will no doubt have found another by now.” T’Pol said, with not a trace of regret. “Also, conception is nearly assured during a Pon farr cycle.”

“Wait a second, grandkids. They wanted grandkids.” ‘That’s amazing,’ Trip thought and marveled at how little difference there could be between species. 

T’Pol was thinking of her almost marriage, and one of the reasons why she had refused to go through with it was now here in her bed. She couldn’t have admitted it to herself then, but she had wanted Trip for a long time. She had always been fascinated with other cultures, and in particular these Humans. So many things about them were so interesting, and they felt so much, and so deeply, but were still coherent and competent beings. T’Pol knew her perceptions had been forever altered. Perhaps it was an effect of the Trellium-D, but even her sense of smell had changed. She found the scent of Humans less noticeable. In fact, she rather liked how this one smelled. She leaned in and nuzzled his neck, breathing deeply. She also had the very strong desire to have him again. T’Pol reached down to stroke him, finding he was already getting hard. Trip was thinking, ‘we are definitely on the same wavelength’, attributing it to intense sexual chemistry. 

She kissed him, then working her way down his neck to his chest, biting and kissing. Stopping to run her tongue across his nipples, which he seemed to appreciate. When he was moaning into her touch, she straddled his hips, taking him inside her. She sat upright, taking him in more deeply. She began to move, feeling sensations begin deep inside her that flowed through her body. Trip put his hands on her hips, guiding her movements, as he made small deliberate movements inside her. She felt it again, almost an ache deep within her and, a tingling, and it grew, completely taking over her body and stopping her breath. She had no control of this whatsoever, and that wave of climax left her slightly lightheaded. Trip was smiling up at her, “are you enjoying yourself darlin’?” “Yes...” her breath came short as he started moving again working her up to another climax. She lost count of exactly how many times she came, as one rolled into the other, until Trip changed his rhythm, thrusting hard into her, and then finishing with her last wave. He wasn’t loud, but was breathing hard as well. She felt like floating as she slowly moved off him and lay beside him, with him holding her close. 

They lay quiet for a time, casually touching and stroking each other in random places. Then, remembering her comment on Vulcan intimacy when she had revealed her age to him, he said, “You know, this is part of what Humans would call intimacy. Not just the physical part, but the pillow talk and all.” 

“What exactly is that?” she asked. 

“Well, that’s what we were doin’ earlier. Havin’ a conversation about things that we wouldn’t tell anybody else, personal things.” 

T’Pol rolled on her side to face him. “In that case, I wish to ask you something.” 

“Anything,” he replied. 

“I climaxed with you, multiple times,” she said. ‘Damn, she can be direct’, he thought. 

“Ah...you’re welcome?” he replied trying to stifle a grin. 

She raised an eyebrow, and continued, “how is this possible?” 

“Well...I just found your spot is all.” 

“Explain.” 

Trip hadn’t anticipated quite this intimate a conversation. “Ah, ok. Well,” he shifted up on his elbow, facing her. “I don’t know what the Vulcan equivalent is, but in Human women, most have what’s called G-spot. It’s not very...accessible, except during sex. And, if this spot is...stimulated, a woman can have a very strong orgasm.” 

She looked directly at him, “and how did you know to do this?” 

He did not know if this was a wise line of questioning, for either of them, but he seemed to have no choice. He knew that if T’Pol really wanted to know, she was not going to stop until she had an answer. “Well...a girlfriend of mine, back when I was in the academy. She…she was convinced that her spot existed, and she was determined that I was going to help her find it. There was a lot of trial and error.” He thought to himself, ‘a lot’. “But, by the end of that semester, I did.” Jeanette had made so much noise, the entire floor of the dorm had actually applauded, but Trip was not sharing that detail. 

“And what became of her?” 

“She was a few years ahead of me at the Academy. She graduated, and left for a posting on a science vessel. I haven’t heard from her in years now. It wasn’t serious between us.” 

T’Pol had an odd expression on her face that Trip couldn’t quite read. “I will have to thank her appropriately, should we meet.” 

Trip nearly choked on air, and then laughed. “Wow, you do have a sense of humor. I could get used to it.” He went on, “I was kinda surprised you had the same thing. There seem to be less differences between us, Humans and Vulcans, I mean.” 

“That may be the case. I was unaware of this, phenomenon.” 

“Well, it seems the sort of thing a gal has to ask her mom about. I think I’ve done all I can on that account.” This drew a raised eyebrow and an expression of near exasperation from T’Pol. Trip leaned in and kissed her again. 

They lay together for a while, taking in the silence and the warmth of each other’s bodies, relaxing, and finally moving toward sleep. 

Trip yawned and said, “At least I’m sleeping fine, no nightmares at least.” 

“I have had some very disturbing dreams,” she said sleepily. “In one, I dreamed we were in the shower when I began to transform into one of the crew of Seleya and I tried to kill you. And then I awoke.” She snuggled closer, reassuring herself of his presence. 

“Well, that sounds awful,” Trip replied, “but you haven’t had any nightmares for a while?” 

“No, not for some weeks.” 

“Good,” he said patting her hip. “Now, you said we were in the shower? What exactly were we doin’ in your shower?” he asked. T’Pol did not answer immediately, realizing what she had implied. “You brought it up darlin’. Have you been having dreams about me? In...intimate...situations?” he asked playfully. T’Pol realized she’d given herself away and opted to just tell him. 

“I have. More than once.”

“So have I,” he said laughing, “so have I. Maybe in the mornin’ we’ll try that out, but leave out the trying to hurt me part,” Trip said, kissing her gently. “Sweet dreams, darlin’.” 

****

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Notes: 
> 
> I felt that at this point in the story, Trip and T’Pol were establishing a relationship. I also felt that she had to explain about the Trellium-D before that began. If she did not, it would just be too much to be absorbed or forgiven later on. 
> 
> At the beginning of Home, Trip asks T’Pol if she had told her mother about him, about ‘us’. So, there had to be an ‘us’ to tell. Some of his behaviors are also very ‘boyfriend’. He maneuvers T’Pol into inviting him to Vulcan. He knew she was going, but conveniently has nowhere else to go, but has to take some leave. (Sure...not one family member or friend on Earth to visit, Trip?) He’s absolutely thrilled that he’s going with her, as we see him leave her quarters to go pack. Given how the visit unfolds, it’s a very painful juxtaposition with the last shot of the episode of him at T’Pol’s wedding. He also makes it obvious enough that he’s checking her out as he comments on her attire when they arrive at her home on Vulcan, another very ‘boyfriend’ thing to do. 
> 
> While many of the details on Vulcan Pon farr and sexual behaviors are a bit murky, I am in agreement that the mating cycle is not the only time Vulcans can or do have sex. I would also suggest that while Vulcans may have sex prior to being married, as marriage is of great significance in their culture, they would avoid becoming emotionally attached. This would by social convention lead to short term sexual liaisons, and perhaps ones that were less passionate, although meeting the need for sexual gratification.


End file.
